
In October 2025, I attended the Majestic tasting held at the iconic Lord’s cricket ground. It’s a lovely venue, full of space and natural light, which really added a sense of occasion to the event. Since the last tasting only five months ago, Majestic has expanded with the opening of three new stores in Thame,…

Part of my #awards25 series, this South African sparkling has a Gold Medal from the IWSC 2025 with an impressive 96 points. It’s from Robertson in the Western Cape and is an example of a ‘blanc de blancs’, a term that means white wine made solely from white grapes. In this case, it’s 100% Chardonnay….

This 2023 vintage offers an easygoing yet lively expression of southern French winemaking. Named after a celebrated muse of the Belle Époque, known for inspiring French Impressionist painters with her beauty and spirit, the wine carries a sense of charm. With its origins in the Languedoc, drawing fruit from the sun-drenched plains near Béziers and…

This Sicilian red might catch your eye if you’re drawn to Nero d’Avola, but it’s very different from the usual expressions of that grape. It’s a blend of Nero d’Avola and Syrah from the 2021 vintage, with 14% ABV and a long 18 months spent in oak barrels. The result is a distinctive, deeply flavoured…

This 2023 vintage Picpoul is a striking example of the quality now coming out of this Languedoc appellation. Ormarine, based in the heart of Pinet since 1922, is responsible for over 40% of the region’s total production and their expertise shows in this wine. The term ‘Élevée sur Lies Fines’ refers to ageing on fine…

Edna Valley Pinot Noir 2022 comes from California’s Central Coast, where the cooling influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean allows for a long, gentle ripening season. This slower process brings depth and elegance to the wine. At 14% ABV, it has a touch more weight than many other Pinots. This is a medium-bodied red with…

This is a striking new arrival at Majestic that’s already turning heads. At a recent store managers’ tasting, it reportedly stole the show, and it’s not hard to see why. This impressive red comes from Château Grand Moulin in the town of Lézignan-Corbières, in the heart of Occitanie. It’s made from old-vine Carignan, with some…

Majestic 45th Birthday Sauvignon Blanc Gros Manseng is one of two special blends created exclusively for Majestic’s anniversary, with the aim of offering a bold yet versatile wine that exceeds expectations for its price. When I first saw it, it gave off a modest impression and I didn’t expect anything out of the ordinary. But…

Moillard Thomas Santenay Rouge 2022 is a 100% Pinot Noir from Burgundy, aged for 12 months in oak barrels. It’s a wine that impresses straight from the bottle, needing no time to open up. For it’s vintage, the light colour shows a very slight touch of browning, correctly suggesting it leans towards a savoury style….

La Belle Angèle Rosé takes its name from a figure of the early 20th century, a muse of the French Impressionists whose charm and elegance inspired many. Produced by La Belle Angèle Wines in Nuits-Saint-Georges, France, the bottle itself reflects a refined aesthetic and the producer’s website is very well presented – a rare case…

I first came across this wine last year when it was announced as a new wine at a Majestic press tasting. Since then, I’ve purchased it twice and had the chance to spend a bit more time with it, getting to understand it better on each occasion. The wine is made by Kanonkop for Majestic…

Majestic’s Parcel Series wines are sourced from top-tier wineries that discreetly offer a limited amount of stock at significantly reduced prices. This arrangement allows the producers to free up valuable cellar space, while presenting customers with a rare chance to enjoy high-quality wines for much less than their usual cost. This particular wine is a…

I was impressed by this wine at a Majestic press tasting in Autumn 2024. I bought a bottle not long after but it’s taken me some time to get round to opening it. It’s from the Elqui Valley in Chile, where Mayu has been producing wine since 2005. The Mayu name comes from an ancient…

Moillard-Thomas is in Nuits-Saint-Georges, in the Côtes de Nuits and is one of the oldest wine merchants in the region. This Mâcon Rouge, 2024 vintage, 12.5%, from Burgundy, France, is made entirely from Gamay grapes. This light purplish wine starts with a fruity aroma, gently underpinned by a savoury note that hints at something earthy,…

At the start of May, I attended the Majestic Spring Press Tasting 2025, which this time took place at a different venue, the iconic Lord’s cricket ground in London. Spacious and distinct, the surroundings gave a certain charm to the event, helping the wines feel a little more special. The layout benefited from the space…

Parcel Series wines come from top-class wineries that quietly sell a limited quantity to Majestic at a fraction of their usual price to clear some space in their cellars, making this a rare opportunity to buy. This particular wine comes from the Viña Vik vineyard, set in the foothills of the Andes mountains. The vineyard…

This 2018 vintage of Saint-Émilion Grand Cru comes from the right bank of the River Garonne, from the family-run Château du Roy. It is made from 35-year-old vines and sits at 13.5% ABV. While it’s Merlot-led, it also includes some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. I almost didn’t review this bottle. On opening, it was…

Sourced from old vines, some over a hundred years in age, in the village of Limoux, within the Languedoc region of southern France, this 2023 vintage wine is a great example of 100% Carignan. However, the age of the vines is a crucial factor here. ‘Vieilles Vignes’ means ‘old vines’ that help lend the wine…

Ripasso wines gain their signature depth and texture from the addition of leftover grape skins from Amarone production, but La Casetta goes a step further. Instead of Amarone, it is re-fermented with the skins from Recioto, a rich, sweet dessert wine, which takes the flavour intensity to another level. Being a Classico Superiore, it comes…

Moillard-Thomas Chablis is produced by one of the region’s oldest wine merchants, known for their long-standing expertise. This 2023 vintage is made in stainless steel vats, unoaked as is typical for non-Premier Cru Chablis. The 2021 vintage of this wine was recognised with an IWC award in 2022, highlighting its quality. This Chablis is 12.5%…
In 2024, the UK was the second-largest export market for Champagne globally, after the United States. More
Local UK bottling of wine which represents about 40% of imported wine. More
Around 1% of people, typically severe asthmatics, have a sulphite sensitivity. More
A large 80% of Australian wine arrives in the UK in bulk. More
Only about 0.02% of Australia’s landmass is dedicated to vineyards. More
In 2024, New Zealand produced only 1% of the World’s wine. More
In 2024, the US imported 37% of World production of Pinot Grigio and the UK was is in second place at 27%. More
In 2024, the UK was South Africa’s largest export market, with 40% of total exports. More
In 2024, the United Kingdom imported 22.3 million bottles of Champagne, a decline of 12.7% compared to the previous year. More
Larger Champagne producers source grapes from as many as 80 different vineyards throughout Champagne. More
Champagne houses and growers collectively produce around 300 million bottles annually. More
In 2025, the Champagne region was home to about 2,124 Champagne houses and approximately 19,000 growers. More
Provence is one of the leaders in the conversion to organic viticulture, with 61% of vineyards certified. More
8% of the South Africa’s grape production is Fairtrade-certified. More
Up to 80% of wine aroma compounds come from grape skins. More
Glycerol is the third-largest component of most dry wines after water and alcohol which is why they so often feel ‘smooth’ or ‘silky’ in the mouth. More
Humans are more than 400 times more sensitive to bitter than sweet. More
Humans can detect the earthy molecule geosmin at about 100 parts per trillion and camels are so sensitive to it they can locate damp ground from roughly 50 miles away. More
During the phylloxera crisis of the nineteenth century, 90% of Europe’s vineyards were destroyed. More
In 2025, for La Vieille Ferme, also known as “The Chicken Wine”, sales surged by 49.4% to £110.8 million. More
In 2025, in the UK, Yellow Tail held the top position with sales, marking a 9.8% increase over the previous year. More
In 2024, the UK was the second-largest wine importer in volume and value. More
In 2024, the UK was the fifth-largest wine-consuming country globally. More
In 2025, global wine consumption continued its downward trend, estimated at 214.2 million hectolitres, the lowest since 1961. More
In 2025, online alcohol sales had a 20% increase in value over five years. More
In 2025, the number of UK vineyards rose to 1,104 and wineries to 238, with land under vine expanding to 4,841 hectares, a 510% increase since 2005. More
Moët Hennessy alone commands nearly 46.66% of the Champagne market, with the top three producers together holding about 61%, and the top five controlling over 72%. More
In 2024, the Champagne market was worth roughly €3.92 billion. More
In the marketing year 2023/24, white wine accounted for roughly 55% of Spain’s output, whereas red and rosé together made up about 45%. More
In the UK, 92% of wine is consumed within 48hrs of purchase. More
The majority of wines, 95%, use commercial rather than wild yeast. More
Between 0.5 and 10 litres of water, per litre of wine, are needed for cleaning during winemaking. More
Machine harvesting can achieve up to 100 tons of fruit per day vs 1 ton for a human. More
In Germany, 2025 was the smallest wine vintage since 2010. More
The majority of vineyards, 90% in 2019, are farmed with heavy chemical interventions. Only 6% are organic. More
90% of low and coastal areas in south Europe and California will no longer be able to produce good wine by the end of the century. More










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